Lottery boost to help communities
Image - Representatives of the Locality Working in Gateshead Partnership receiving the cheque from Ceri McGhee, Funding Officer, The National Lottery Community Fund, in the grounds of The Winlaton Centre, one of the Partnership member organisations
Working in partnership with five community organisations across the borough, we have been awarded almost half a million pounds from The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest funder of community activity in the UK.
The £499,500 grant will support the delivery of a three-year, £1.2 million project called "Locality Working in Gateshead: Towards Recovery and Growth", which aims to build on the successful collaborative working that has seen the project's partners provide support to Gateshead residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes the delivery of food parcels, arranging befriending support, and tackling household financial challenges.
The money will help the organisations build on their experiences during the pandemic to become impactful and viable community anchors at the heart of the borough's journey towards recovery and growth, following the height of COVID-19. In turn, they will be well placed to help households recover from the various effects of the pandemic, by growing and developing ways to deliver and host a range of activities, events, and services that reflect the characteristics, needs, and strengths of the communities within which the organisations are based.
This approach, often described as locality working, will see the partners increasingly act as points of early help, providing residents with advice and support on their doorstep to tackle, mitigate, and prevent crises, and help them become better informed and involved in their communities.
Councillor Linda Green, Gateshead Council's Portfolio Holder for Communities and Volunteering said: "We are delighted to have secured this funding from The National Lottery Community Fund on behalf of our project partners; it is testimony to the joint efforts made by so many volunteers, community organisations and public services that stepped forward to help Gateshead's residents during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. I'm sure that this funding, together with the financial contribution from the Council, will result in a group of stronger community organisations, acting as strong advocates for their neighbourhoods and ensuring a range of advice and support services are available, shaped by, and in some cases delivered by, residents".
Duncan Nicholson, Head of Funding for North East and Cumbria at The National Lottery Community Fund, said:
"Our funding is focussed on supporting people and communities to prosper and thrive. We're delighted that, thanks to National Lottery players, Gateshead Council and its partners will now be in an even stronger position to support some of the most vulnerable people and communities in the borough as they start to build back from the pandemic This money will really be making a difference to people's lives."
National Lottery players raise £36 million each week for good causes throughout the UK.
The partners involved directly with this partnership project, with financial support from us and The National Lottery Community Fund, are:
- Birtley Community Partnership
- Chopwell Community Association
- Dunston Family Church
- St. Chad's Community Project
- The Winlaton Centre
The partnership is also being provided with guidance and support from Locality, the national membership organisation that helps community organisations to be strong and successful so that communities thrive and prosper.
Image - Representatives of the Locality Working in Gateshead Partnership receiving the cheque from Ceri McGhee, Funding Officer, The National Lottery Community Fund, in the grounds of The Winlaton Centre, one of the Partnership member organisations
Working in partnership with five community organisations across the borough, we have been awarded almost half a million pounds from The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest funder of community activity in the UK.
The £499,500 grant will support the delivery of a three-year, £1.2 million project called "Locality Working in Gateshead: Towards Recovery and Growth", which aims to build on the successful collaborative working that has seen the project's partners provide support to Gateshead residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes the delivery of food parcels, arranging befriending support, and tackling household financial challenges.
The money will help the organisations build on their experiences during the pandemic to become impactful and viable community anchors at the heart of the borough's journey towards recovery and growth, following the height of COVID-19. In turn, they will be well placed to help households recover from the various effects of the pandemic, by growing and developing ways to deliver and host a range of activities, events, and services that reflect the characteristics, needs, and strengths of the communities within which the organisations are based.
This approach, often described as locality working, will see the partners increasingly act as points of early help, providing residents with advice and support on their doorstep to tackle, mitigate, and prevent crises, and help them become better informed and involved in their communities.
Councillor Linda Green, Gateshead Council's Portfolio Holder for Communities and Volunteering said: "We are delighted to have secured this funding from The National Lottery Community Fund on behalf of our project partners; it is testimony to the joint efforts made by so many volunteers, community organisations and public services that stepped forward to help Gateshead's residents during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. I'm sure that this funding, together with the financial contribution from the Council, will result in a group of stronger community organisations, acting as strong advocates for their neighbourhoods and ensuring a range of advice and support services are available, shaped by, and in some cases delivered by, residents".
Duncan Nicholson, Head of Funding for North East and Cumbria at The National Lottery Community Fund, said:
"Our funding is focussed on supporting people and communities to prosper and thrive. We're delighted that, thanks to National Lottery players, Gateshead Council and its partners will now be in an even stronger position to support some of the most vulnerable people and communities in the borough as they start to build back from the pandemic This money will really be making a difference to people's lives."
National Lottery players raise £36 million each week for good causes throughout the UK.
The partners involved directly with this partnership project, with financial support from us and The National Lottery Community Fund, are:
- Birtley Community Partnership
- Chopwell Community Association
- Dunston Family Church
- St. Chad's Community Project
- The Winlaton Centre
The partnership is also being provided with guidance and support from Locality, the national membership organisation that helps community organisations to be strong and successful so that communities thrive and prosper.
